Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-12

swim upr1SnL In elSnt 1cct OF wafer, IL
could float on its side in one foot. Ita
! depth is increased by two long fms.
| extending out from each side. repre-
| senting the dorsal and lower fins OF
other fishes.
Tail it has none, in the common
acceptation of the term, the body APP
pearing as if it had been cut off short
| and abruptly, and not very distinct
frill set around the edge, utterly use
less, or nearly so. as an organ of loco
motion. Its mouth is very small. and
contains hard teeth. joined together.
The skin is very rough. scaleless and
presenting very coarse surface COW
cred with gelatinous coating.
Ordinarily. the suniish is of compar-
atively small size. attaining a length
of four or five feet but this giant
grounded on the Florida shoal was
nearly eight feet from the tip of one
fin to that of the other-a veritable
monster, and prize indeed.
1t had ventured in from the ocean.
and become stranded on the bank. the
lower fin striking the sand just as
many a vessels keel Lad done before.
The boat that had started was now
near the great fish. A few more lusty
strokes brought her alongside. and as
the fish swayed over. the top fin of the
lethargic giant was seized. This
seemed to arouse it to . new sense of
| its danger. as it moved of, towing the
boat moment; then breaking away
to righten. it grounded again, and be.
gan its splashing about with renewed
| vigor.
As the wreckers had no spear. they
determined to fasten rope to the fish;
but this was almost an impossibility.
Finally one of the men leaped into the
water. and grasping the fish by the
gills with one hand, and the back by
the other. endeavored to lift it so that
rope could be passed under the body.
This, however, was easier said than
done, and in moment the adventur-
Gus wrecker was jerked from his feet
and carried along several feet until the
sunfish grounded again.
Again the boat was put alongside.
this time slip-noose being thrown
over the top fin, and little later an
other similarly disposed about the low
er. The great fish was now in a veri-
table harness, and fastening the rope
to the seat, the row toward shore was
commenced.
For while the fish did not object to
this mode of procedure; but as the chan
mel was reached, that it was necessary
to cross before coming to the shore.
the captive, evidently realizing that it
had new chance. made terrific dash,
and was soon towing the boat, stern
foremost. at a rapid rate down the riv-
er toward the sea.
So sudden was the movement that
the stern was nearly pulled under wa
ter, and the frail craft would have
swamped but for the smoOthness of the
water.
Creeping toward the stern, the rope
was gradually slackened out. and while
one wrecker turned the boat about with
an oar. the other transferred the rope
to the bow. As soon as it began to
tauten. on they rushed again. their
huge steed giving no sign of diminish
ing its pace.
But the great fish was destined to
become a wreck. Instead of keeping
to the channel. it now swan directly
in the middle of the river. and soon
ran its long lower fin into the sand Of
the bank, keeled over upon its side.
and began the floundering that had
first attracted attention.
Again the same maneuvers were
gone through with to fasten rope un-
der it. and finally the head of the giant
was secured to the stern. SO its strug-
giles did not impede the little craft.
In this position they again headed
for Pilot Town. and after hard pull
against the current the fish was hauled
by dozen willing hands upon the
shore. where for many days it was an
object of curiosity to the people for
miles around. The enterprising wreck
ers erected tent over it and charged
an admission fee. tits now, l believe.
in some scientific institution Of the
North. 1t must have weighed seven or
eight hundred pounds. and was proba-
bly, the largest specimen of the kind
ever seen.
From its peculiar shape. the sunfish
would not be considered a very rapid
swimmer, and it is probable the most
lethargic in its habits of all fishes.
1t has wide geographical range. be-
ing found in many seas. Of the New
England coast it is often seen, rolling
to and fro on the top Of the water, and
in this way small ones are sometimes
seized and lifted into boats with hardly
any resistance. They are very fond Of
rolling on the surface. or lying fat
upon it for hours. basking in the sun;
and perhaps from this habit it has
gained its name in this country.
The sunfishes found in the Mediter-
ranean Sea are called moonfishes by
the sailors-perhapS, AS has been sug-